LTCC Hosts Employer Panels Featuring Local Industry Leaders

January 16, 2026

Hospitality and Leadership speaker series at LTCC.

LTCC’s Hospitality & Culinary and Business & Leadership departments launched a MetaMajor Career Series, kicked off by two days of employer panels on campus. LTCC Adjunct Business Faculty member Dany Tenenblat, Lead Culinary Faculty member Virat Vij, and Director of Employer Partnerships Alena Anberg collaborated with Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) Director Manuel Sanchez and site teams to curate an opportunity for students to gain insights from leaders in local and global companies during two lunchtime panels.

Culinary & Hospitality Panelists shared insights and relatable personal stories in response to questions about their career pathways. The diverse panel was skillfully moderated by Director of Employer Partnerships Erin Kangas. The robust afternoon was followed by Business & Leadership Panelists , who offered lessons learned and practical advice on effective, empathetic leadership and the future of work, facilitated in conversation by moderator Jessica Grime of the South Shore Chamber.

College students, California Conservation Corps members, and high school students were able to attend, ask questions, and mingle with panelists over lunch following the sessions. LTCC Culinary students gained hands-on experience providing a delicious, professionally prepared lunch. A newly launched work-based learning team—the Coyote Stewards—helped support the event, along with Student Support Coordinator Alondra Gomez.

LTCC Vice President Rachel Bates opened the Hospitality & Culinary panel by emphasizing the importance of employer engagement for students, and Dean Brad Deeds extended a welcome to local employers and chamber partners, highlighting the value of their expertise. “Leadership in this age of transparency and accountability is easier than ever,” noted panelist Ryan S. of Vail Resorts. “It would be harder to be a bad leader because you will be called out.” Both panels also discussed the future of work and transitions such as artificial intelligence (AI), using examples of companies that became obsolete due to a failure to adapt. “Kodak used to be the standard in photo processing and once had digital technology but did not deploy it,” shared one panelist. “Some industries may be naturally cautious in adoption,” added another, “but everyone will need to integrate technology where it makes sense for them—or risk being left behind.”

“Be mindful of maturity in your journey. In my own journey, I learned that being mature and fully engaged in an opportunity was more important than anything else,” another panelist shared—one of many valuable insights offered to students throughout the series.

For more information, contact ekangas@shastacollege.edu or aanberg@shastacollege.edu.